MSHSAA All Access Podcast

As part of our effort to recognize our officials and express our appreciation and gratitude, we will feature several episodes in which we visit with different officials from around the state to gain insight into the world of high school officiating. During the 2024 Boys Swimming & Diving Championships, Dr. Rukstad speaks with two longtime officials about what being an official means to them and why they have continued to dedicate their time to supporting both the students and the sport of high school swimming.

After 30+ years with the Missouri State High School Activities Association, one of the pillars of the executive staff has decided to retire and explore what is next in her future. It's not easy to summarize the experiences and memories that were made in such a long and successful career, but in this episode we will chat with Stacy Schroeder, Senior Associate Executive Director, as we thank her for the dedication and passion she has shown throughout her career.

In this episode, we sit down with Assistant Executive Director, Marty Marsh, who is marking the end of a remarkable career in the education field. We dive into what retirement means for someone who's dedicated their life to their work, and what it feels like to say goodbye to a chapter that has defined so much of their identity.But it's not all about the past—Marty shares exciting plans for the future, discussing how he plans to stay engaged and embrace life beyond the office.Whether you're planning for your own retirement or just curious about what it’s like to reflect on a lifelong career, this episode offers invaluable insights on transition, fulfillment, and the journey to finding new purpose.

In this episode, we celebrate the new year and the change of seasons as we sit down and talk with a couple of coaches from our winter sports season. During this year's Girls' Volleyball Championships, we invited two coaches from the southeast area to chat about their views on coaching and what it involves for them, both in and out of the school setting.

Wrapping up our fall championship season is always the 11-man and 8-man Show-Me Bowl Football Championships! This year was particularly memorable as we began a new era at Missouri Western University, hosting the 8-man championship game, while also marking our last year at the University of Missouri for the remaining 11-man games. In this episode, we will break down each of the games and share how each team performed during this exciting two-day event!

In this special episode, we run headfirst into the action of the 2024 MSHSAA 57th Boys Soccer Championships. From intense matchups to nail-biting action, we break down every game, highlight key players, and relive unforgettable moments from the championships. There were many newcomers alongside some seasoned veterans at this year's event, and this episode offers an exciting look at the passion, teamwork, and dedication that make high school soccer so memorable. Tune in for all the excitement, drama, and record-breakers that made this tournament one for the history books!

It's time to dive into another fall championship review! This episode will highlight the 88th MSHSAA Boys Swimming & Diving Championships and we will share all the special moments that occurred during this fast-paced and action-packed event! Who were the winners? What records were broken? We go over all that and more as we cover another of our fall championships.

In this episode, we dive into the 50th MSHSAA Girls Volleyball Championships, highlighting all 20 teams that participated in the Class 1-5 championship games. We define who the champions were and showcase the spectacular feats achieved throughout the tournament. Additionally, we discuss upcoming changes to girls' volleyball, including a new championship venue starting in the 2025-26 school year. Join us as we celebrate another fantastic championship event!

Tune in to this episode for an unforgettable journey through one of the most grueling and rewarding athletic competitions—Cross Country! Join us as we relive the excitement, challenges, and triumphs that make this race a defining moment for athletes at all levels. We’ll cover each race with a play-by-play of the most intense moments, from Day 1’s action with Classes 1 and 5 all the way through Day 2 and our remaining classes—2, 3, and 4. These athletes will leave you inspired and motivated to take on your own challenges, both on and off the track.

It's been a long road to this season's finale of the 2024 Fall Championship season and with this episode we dive into the highly anticipated 2024 MSHSAA Show-Me Bowl Football Championships! This year brings several exciting changes, and we’re here to discuss all the essential details you need to know about this season’s thrilling final fall championship.

Reviewing our first team sport and next fall championship, we swing right into the 49th Fall Softball Championships, held over the course of three days at the fantastic Killian Softball Complex in Springfield, MO. In this episode, we will review all the final results from both semifinal action and trophy games. Which school earned its first-ever championship, and which schools made their first-ever appearance? Who earned a SportsCenter spotlight? What records were made? We discuss all the details and highlight some spectacular moments in this wrap-up episode!

In this episode, we take you courtside for an exclusive look at the 2024 MSHSAA Girls Tennis championships! From the grit and determination of the players to the history behind this historic event, we break down all the key moments and reveal this years' winners.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a month since the conclusion of the 2024 MSHSAA Girls Golf Championships, with four different classifications competing across the state. There were certainly some record-breaking moments and spectacular plays made throughout the two days of competition. In this episode, we’ll highlight all the winners, hole-in-ones, repeat appearances, and much more in this championship review.

A lot has changed in the past week regarding the upcoming 2024 Boys Soccer Championships. Due to major flooding in the Fenton area of St. Louis, Worldwide Technology Soccer Park experienced significant damage from the nearby Meramec River. This damage has led the Board of Directors and MSHSAA staff to the task of finding a new venue to host the Championships. Fortunately, Lindenwood University stepped up and graciously welcomed the Championships to their beautiful campus. We’re excited to bring you this episode as we prepare for the 57th MSHSAA Boys Soccer Championships!

Our final episode of the Student Eligibility series provides a detailed explanation of the process by which a school or student can appeal an eligibility decision. What circumstances make this process necessary, and how exactly does it work? Find out in this episode as we wrap up our discussion on eligibility.

It's time to preview another championship as we march through the fall season! Starting on November 14th, our 88th Boys' Swimming & Diving Championships will take place at the spectacular St. Peter's Rec Plex. Some facility enhancements have been made since last year, and this year's event is expected to be just as action-packed as ever! Join us in celebrating this historic event as we dive into this year's championship.

We're returning to our On the Periphery series with a new episode focusing on school athletic directors. During the Fall Softball Championships, we had the opportunity to sit down with one of Missouri's athletic directors and pull back the curtain on what it takes to lead and support activities in today's schools. Join us as we highlight another important facet of the association and the impact these individuals have on their schools and communities.

Our next championship for the 2024 Fall season is the 50th MSHSAA Cross Country Championships! This sport is celebrated for its emphasis on endurance, teamwork, and a connection to nature. Run on one of the best courses in the nation, this event will test the will and abilities of many athletes, but only the top 30 will bring home an individual medal. Join us as we prepare for another spectacular championship!

Since becoming a MSHSAA-sponsored sport, with the first Girls Volleyball Championship occurring in 1975, the growth of this sport has been significant, leading up to this year's 50th Championship. In this episode, we will celebrate the many years this championship has been hosted at the Show-Me Center in Cape Girardeau as we look forward to the future and the excitement of this upcoming event. Listen as we share all the details and more!

The 49th Fall Softball Championships are set to take place once again at the state-of-the-art Killian Softball Complex in Springfield, MO, from October 31st to November 2nd. Teams from five different classifications across the state will gather in Springfield for semifinal competition to determine who will compete for the championship title! We'll highlight this event and discuss the schedule including some exciting plans we have to continue the celebration of this spectacular occasion!

We are excited to highlight our next upcoming Fall Championship—the 50th Girls Tennis Championships! We have two full weekends of action, starting with Singles and Doubles matches on October 24-26, followed by Team competitions on October 31 and November 1. Once again, we will be hosted at the spectacular Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield! Stay tuned as we prepare for this championship and discuss some changes you might notice.

We are just one week away from our first Fall Championship! Starting Monday, October 21, we will have four locations hosting our Girls Golf Championships over the two-day tournament. Find out which courses are hosting, how the tournament schedule will run, and help us get ready to celebrate the 50th year of Girls Golf Championships!

For a number of years, the Missouri State High School Association has celebrated teams that participated in a championship 20 years prior. After revamping our existing Traditions Program, which was piloted during last year's Basketball Championship, the MSHSAA office is thrilled to extend this program to each and every one of our team sports that have at least a 20-year history. In this episode, we will highlight a few of those changes and what fans and spectators can expect during this year's Championships!

Students and adults alike have had the opportunity to sharpen their skills using the RefReps programming. As we celebrate our fall sports officials this week, we want to remind everyone of this unique opportunity. MSHSAA is proud to partner with RefReps as we continue to grow our officials program and help the next generation earn their stripes!

During the 2024 MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown Basketball Championships, we visited with four members of our Student Advisory Committee and gave them an opportunity to talk about their experiences as student ambassadors and their observations as we continue to grow the student services programming in the state of Missouri. As with other advisory committees, these students provide a geographical representation of our state, and we are thrilled to share some of their perspectives in this episode!

Following the end of each school year, the MSHSAA staff designates coaches who have shown a commitment to the ideals of coaching interscholastic sports and making an impact on their sport beyond their own school or community by nominating them as the MSHSAA Coach of the Year. This recognition is based on accomplishments made in the 2023-24 school year, and these coaches will now have the opportunity to be selected at the next level of this award, the Section V Coach of the Year. We'll explain all that and go over this year's fall sport coach nominees.

Our final episode covering student eligibility will dive deeper into Section 2 of the student essential by-laws as we review other key factors that impact a student’s ability to participate in interscholastic sports and activities. Certain elements, such as semesters of participation, amateurism, physical exams, insurance, practice and conditioning, are key to determining eligibility. To wrap up this episode we'll spend significant time discussing residency and our transfer rule.

The administrative body of the association is known as the Board of Directors. These members represent regional areas of the state, along with two 'At-Large' members. They are active school superintendents, principals, or activities directors. Acting as the executive body of the association, they oversee numerous responsibilities. Following the first meeting of the school year, we met with two current members of the MSHSAA board to discuss their roles and how they contribute to the association.

In this episode, we will introduce our newest team member to the MSHSAA staff—Andrew Kauffman, who has taken over as Communications Director for the Missouri State High School Activities Association. We'll visit with Andrew and dig into his background as a sports director and the path that led him to the MSHSAA office. We will also tease something exciting that our team has been preparing for and how we plan to implement this into our existing programming.

In an effort to define the current stance of the Missouri State High School Activities Association regarding the use of the shot clock in basketball contests, this brief episode will explain exactly what the MSHSAA Board of Directors decided, as well as how the use of the shot clock will be determined.

Looking further into our student eligibility series in this episode we dissect a more complex topic as we define the concept of 'undue influence' and address what that means when talking about student enrollment and 'recruitment' in the high school setting. As this requirement can be one of the most complex to explain out of all the eligibility standards it also tends to be one of the most misunderstood. This discussion is designed to give not just our member schools more clarity but to also solve any misconceptions any member interested in a students enrollment may have.

Continuing in our series over student eligibility this episode will take a look at a few more of the student essential by-laws that apply to all student participants who represent his/her school. We'll discuss the definition of a 'Bona Fide', dig into the citizenship requirements and also review how semesters of eligibility are determined.

During the 2024 MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown Basketball Championships we took the opportunity to visit with some special individuals who may be on the periphery during any given contest but their presence is truly an asset. If you are from the central Missouri area you probably know the names Kevin Kelly, Steve Duncan and David Fox (or at least their voices) but you may not know how much loyalty and dedication they have for their craft and why they are so passionate about 'getting it right'. Enjoy this episode as we recognize these sports media broadcasters and hear more about their love for the game!

Born out of necessity the Missouri State High School Activities Association origin story is certainly an interesting one. This episode will look back at our earliest beginnings and provide considerable background information and the conditions that were in place that initiated the development of a state wide association. Who were the key players and how did they help develop interscholastic activities as we know it today? Listen as we take a trip back in time!

As we dig into the issue of student eligibility, this episode will layout the guidelines MSHSAA considers when it comes to academic eligibility. One objective of the association is to develop standards for the approval and direction of interscholastic activities and one of the ways we do that is through establishing an eligibility standard for all students who wish to participate in interscholastic activities. Listen as we try to shed some light on how a student can maintain their academic eligibility, what should schools consider when reviewing a students schedule, and why it is important for the association to develop this standard.

As schools are preparing for their Fall sports season to begin there are several things they must consider when preparing for competition. Part of those plans involve ensuring student athlete safety and preparation and when they say it takes a village, nothing could be more true when it comes to interscholastic athletics and activities. In this episode we sit down and visit with a few of the members of the MSHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and discuss what roles the athletic trainers serve to our schools and students, what factors should they consider when getting ready for a competition and how schools can be prepared as we gear up for another season of sports and activities in our state.

Last spring The Missouri State High School Activities Association participated in the Missouri Sports Travel Exchange conference and during some down time we visited with several community leaders discussing the topic of Sports Tourism, specifically when it comes to the MSHSAA championships and festivals. In this episode some individuals have moved onto other positions, however this round table discussion still holds relevance today and may give some insight on how MSHSAA determines venues and locations for the championships.

What is 'eligibility' when discussing high school activities and how does the Missouri State High School Activities Association determine a students eligibility status? What parameters are used to define an eligible athlete, band member, cheerleader, etc.? Throughout this season we will routinely incorporate episodes from a new series explaining student eligibility and give an in-depth look at the Student Essential By-Laws developed by the MSHSAA member schools to help members navigate determining a students ability to participate in interscholastic sports and activities.

Tune in to our latest episode of the MSHSAA All-Access Podcast as we celebrate August 12, 2024, the official first allowable practice day for our fall sports. It’s what we like to call the symbolic first day of the activities and athletics school year. Join Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Rukstad as she extends a heartfelt thank you to the coaches, student-athletes, referees and fans who contribute tirelessly to the success of high school athletics. This episode is a tribute to the hard work and dedication that make these events possible. Get ready to kick off the 2024-25 school year with enthusiasm and a deep appreciation for the entire MSHSAA community!

It's time to wrap up the Spring Championship season and talk about the 40th MSHSAA Girls Soccer Championships! This year was full of special stories and some teams were able to celebrate their first ever trip to the final four in spectacular fashion! Listen for all the highlights as we go through each class and how all the teams finished.

It's the final stretch! Buckle up and hang on because there is a lot to unpack in this episode as we highlight one of our last championships of the 2024 Spring Season - the MSHSAA Baseball Championships! Held in the beautiful Ozarks of Missouri the best 24 teams gave all they had in their fight for the 'ship! Find out who won, who made their first trip ever and what we can expect next year all right here!

After membership voting, Boys Volleyball became a MSHSAA sport, and we are thrilled to celebrated the 1st Annual MSHSAA Boys Volleyball Championship during this episode! Four teams met one one court to determine this years first MSHSAA Champion, how did we get here, what are the plans for the future? There are some exciting things happening in our state, listen as we celebrate this historical event and the student athletes that participated!

All but one of the sports and activities offered interscholastically to the students in Missouri have a single defining season. Missouri is unique as it is one of the few states that offer both Fall and Spring seasons in the sport of Softball. Fall Softball is the dominant season in Missouri with four classifications competing for a Championship whereas Spring Softball has only two classes. In this episode we'll dive a little deeper into the Spring Championship, how did the teams perform and give a little more insight into this spectacular event!

It's a mad dash to the finish!! We only have a few wrap up episodes left from the 2024 spring Championship season and in this episode we will highlight our two weekends of Track & Field Championships. Hang on tight as we fly through all the key moments, review team finishes, and recognize the amazing athletes that had a part in the 2024 championships!!

Missouri has one of the best tennis complexes in the nation and we are lucky to have the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Missouri as the host of the Girls and Boys Tennis Championships! In this episode we will take a swing at highlighting all the action over the two separate competitions starting with all the winners from the Singles & Doubles Championships and then recap our Teams Tennis Championships. We will also review some interesting statistics in regards to returning and new teams! You'll just 'LOVE' this episode!

Starting off our spring sports championship wrap up episodes is the 2024 Boys Golf Championships Review! This years golfers saw plenty of challenges and managed to overcome with some spectacular and tight competition. Find out where this years tournaments were held, how did the competitors finish, and what special accolades were made by this group of boys golfers!

Our last Spring Activity Championship is a true battle of the minds! In this episode we talk with State Tournament Director, Scott Brinker, as we revisit the 2024 MSHSAA Scholar Bowl Championships. This year we welcomed some newcomers to their first ever Championship appearance along with some of our usual contenders. If we learned anything during this event it is that we have some amazingly talented and informed students in Missouri! Listen as we talk about all the winners and recap how each class played out!

Thousands of students arriving at the University of Missouri in late April can mean only one thing - the start of the MSHSAA State Music Festival! While students practice in any open space available, inside or out, our State Festival Adjudicators are listening to performances, directors are giving their last bits of instruction, friends and family are celebrating and congratulating a job well done, and lifelong memories are made during these three days of organized chaos! Listen as we review this year's festival and talk with a very special guest that represents the many, many talented students in our state!

Our final Championship of year and the official start of summer for our student athletes is the Girls Soccer Championships. Over two days 16 teams will play an overall total of 16 games to determine the the next four Girls Soccer Champions! All the details about the where, when and who can be found in our final Championship Preview for the 2023-24 school year!

Nothing says Memorial Day Weekend like Baseball!! This episode will highlight our Spring Baseball Championships currently held in Ozark, MO. Find out how the tournament is scheduled, what improvements have been made to make this event better than ever and who helps us make this a special moment for all the teams and fans!